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JPS Print Consultants help customers increase sales with Direct Mail

Direct mail is proven to be one of the most successful ways of driving people to your website and increasing sales. In a recent survey carried out by Market Reach (a division of Royal mail), it was confirmed that the open rates for mail far exceed those of email.

Many people are overwhelmed by the volume of email they receive. As a result, they simply don’t open the majority of marketing and promotional emails that come into their inbox.

The statistics are staggering in comparison with email which has approximately an 11% open rate.  At JPS Print Consultants, we believe the best results are obtained when using printed mail and email as a combination within your marketing campaign.  With the upcoming GDPR regulations on the horizon, we also are seeing that the demand for direct mail is increasing.

 8 reasons why direct mail adds value to your marketing campaign

  1. It is far easier to capture a recipient’s eye with a clever physical piece than email.
  2. The most effective method of driving traffic to website and increasing sales is via direct mail.
  3. Over 71% of physical promotional mail is opened.
  4. Direct Mail is kept in a recipient’s home or office for an average of 17 days.
  5. 23% of mail is shared and passed on to the right recipient in the home.
  6. Direct mail makes people feel more valued and more likely to buy – almost like receiving a gift.
  7. 87% of recipients of direct mail are influenced to go on and make online purchases.
  8. Including direct mail in your marketing mix can increase ROI by 12%.

Direct mail as part of your integrated marketing plan

Online shopping shows no sign of slowing and continues to grow in strength and popularity.  As such, there is an important role for direct mail in the marketing mix.  By sending an actual piece of literature to a customer or potential client, you have an opportunity to demonstrate the value that you can bring to them in a physical and visual manner.

Choosing to deliver a clever piece of marketing in the post offers an opportunity.  Your product or offering can stand out and rise above the noise of the busy digital space.  As a retail business selling a physical product, you can use Direct Mail to show off your product. By using high-res images and strong colours you can demonstrate the quality of what you sell.

Our customers find that many promotional emails are filtered into a different folder in some email clients.  This is even before a customer has a chance to decide if they wish to open it or not.  A targeted physical piece, created with flair and imagination sidetracks these filters.  If a piece stands out, due to clever words, imagery or perhaps shape the recipient often keeps it in a prominent place in the house or office, where more people will see it.  As an example we received a piece or marketing in the post with a plug attached to it.  It told us “not to flush our marketing budget down the drain”.  This level of recall would be difficult to obtain with an email sales message.

That’s not to say that only direct mail is needed.  It is effective as part of the wider marketing mix and should be used to drive customers towards your digital presence.  Physical pieces can be used to inspire a customer to go online and make a decision on purchase.  To be effective with a small budget, businesses use data, technology and a variety of media together to give customers experiences they will remember and want to talk about or take action.

JPS Print Consultants – Print Management Solutions

One client we work very closely with in the retail industry used to mail 20,000 brochures each month this time last year. They are now mailing over 150,000 brochures per month. Our client is extremely pleased with the results they are achieving as a result of direct mail. We can help you grow your business by working with you on your direct mail marketing campaigns.

“You can’t replicate the delight of holding a brochure in your hands. Its having that physical touch that many customers want.” Market Reach

The upfront cost of investing in a direct mail can be more expensive than email.  However, we find that the average lead value of a customer brought in through direct mail is higher.  JPS Print Consultants can help you get more from your marketing investment.  If you are new to direct mail, we can help you save 15% on the postage of your first three mailing campaigns. There are also other postal incentives available if you already send direct mail.

Call us today on 0800 0834 827 or email Jason@jpsprintconsultants.com for more information.

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Creating perfect PDF print files

Here are some essential guidelines to creating perfect PDF print files.  We find that many clients send us print ready files that do not have bleed, crop marks or the colours are set to RGB rather than CMYK.  We have compiled this list of instructions for the most popular programmes.

ADOBE INDESIGN

  • Artwork must have a minimum of 3mm bleed (image area outside of the trim area).
  • All fonts must be embedded.
  • Documents must be CMYK as all Pantones will be converted during the printing process, unless specified otherwise.
  • Go to: File > Export. Select Adobe PDF (Print) in the Format dropdown, this will give you the Export Adobe PDF window, select [Press Quality] then select trim marks and use document bleed settings.

ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

  • Artwork must have a minimum of 3mm bleed (image area outside of the trim area).
  • All fonts must be embedded.
  • Documents must be CMYK as all Pantones will be converted during the printing process, unless specified otherwise.
  • Go to: File > Save as. Then select Adobe PDF (pdf) in the Adobe PDF Preset dropdown, select [Press Quality] then select trim marks and use document bleed settings.

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

  • Artwork must have a minimum of 3mm bleed (image area outside of the trim area).
  • All fonts must be embedded or converted to curves. Go to: File > Save as. Under Format select Photoshop PDF > Save. This takes you to the Save Adobe PDF window. Under Adobe PDF Preset select Press Quality.
  • Documents must be CMYK as all pantones will be converted during the printing process.

QUARK EXPRESS

  • Artwork must have a minimum of 3mm bleed (image area outside of the trim area).
  • All fonts must be embedded or converted to curves. Go to: File > Export > Layout as PDF. This will give you the Exports as PDF window, select Press Quality then select trim marks and use document bleed settings.
  • Documents must be CMYK as all pantones will be converted during the printing process.

We hope you find these tips valuable, if you have any questions, JPS Print Consultants do also offer a design service.

The school holidays are almost here!

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JPS happy to support Barracudas with print requirements

What are your autumn print requirements?

School holidays are fast approaching in the UK, or have already arrived for some!  However many of us may still be thinking about childcare options. Its always tricky working out how to manage the balance between giving the children a great holiday and managing our regular work/life juggle.

One company thriving in holiday childcare is Barracudas Activity Day Camps.  They have been successfully offering day camps for school-age kids at over 39  locations in the South East of England for the past 25 years.  As an Ofsted registered childcare provider, they are a fantastic option.  Barracudas offer lots of fun stimulating activities to keep children entertained all summer long.

As you might expect, their planning cycle starts a little earlier than some of us parents!  Here at JPS Print Consultants, we are pleased to support Barracudas’ valuable pre-activity print promotion.  JPS Print Consultants do this on an ongoing basis in the run up to the holiday period.

We regularly support Barracudas with the printing of leaflets, brochures, training manuals, stationery as well as direct mail campaigns, certificates, and posters.

“JPS always deliver on time and to the highest quality. As the prices are always competitive too, it is an easy decision of where to get the work printed.” Sarah Price, Barracudas Activity Day Camps.

The next half term is always just around the corner, a little like the next printing season.  With over 16 years’ experience, we are already gearing up for a busy September and beyond.
Which project is next on your to do list? The autumn catalogue, a promotional campaign or a direct mail piece to promote your latest customer offer?  Our objective is to make the whole process easy for you.  You can have peace of mind that your job will be completed efficiently and effectively.

Please give us a call on 0800 0834 827 to discuss your requirements.